Burgundy produces some of the most sought-after wines in the world, and none more so than the fabulous reds from the Cote d’Or, the heart of the region.  Around 30 miles in length, and 10 miles wide, stretching from south of Dijon, through Beaune and terminating at Maranges, the region is divided into two.  The upper section, known as the Cote de Nuits, is a red-only zone, whereas the Cote de Beaune, to the south, may be red or white.

Understanding Burgundy should be simple.  The reds are made from Pinot Noir and the whites from Chardonnay, apart from a few minor exceptions.  The difficulty is that the vineyards are enshrined in the French concept of terroir and hence there are over 100 different appellations, and some 500 place-names, lieu-dits.

Production is tiny, but the real problem is the Napoleonic code of inheritance, whereby, with each successive generation, the parcels of land become smaller.  This has resulted in the dominance of negociants who buy up parcels of vines or grapes from the grower, and then blend. 

Since the early 1980s, when the reputation hit rock-bottom, a new breed of grower-producers and micro-negociants has emerged.  Personally, I think the quality and consistency of red Burgundy has never been better, but it can still be notoriously frustrating.

Before purchasing Red Burgundy, there are three considerations:

1.         Terroir/AOC

The terroir will be denoted by the AOC.  Basic Bourgogne accounts for 50% of total production, and may be produced from anywhere in the region.  At the next level, the AOC will feature the name “Villages”, meaning it’s more select, e.g. Cote de Nuits-Villages, or Cote de Beaune-Villages.  Above this are the named villages, e.g. Volnay or Vosne-Romanee, etc.  In the upper echelons are the basic Premier Crus, and then Premier Crus with named vineyards, e.g. Vincent Girardin produced at Santenay Premier Cru, but from Jadot, we tasted a Beaune Premier Cru Guettes.  Grand Crus are at the pinnacle, and include such names as Corton, Chambertin and Bonne-Mares.

2.         Vintage

Burgundy, as a northerly region, is perhaps on the uppermost margin of producing quality red wine.  The climate, though, is continental, with cold winters and warm summers, but relatively dry.  The Pinot Noir grape, which is notoriously temperamental, thrives, but vintage variations will affect the results in the bottle.

3.         Producer

The third, and most important, factor is the savoir-faire of the producer.  The fragmentation of the vineyards has lead to inconsistency from one vineyard to the next.  For example, Clos de Vougeot is about 45 hectares and the same size as the 2nd Cru St. Julien, Ducru-Beaucaillou.  The Bordelais wine has one owner, the Grand Cru Burgundy has 80 plus.  The key to enjoying fine Burgundy, therefore, is to source the winemakers with the best reputation, and buy the wine from such specialists as Tanners, Connollys or the Wine Society.

Summary of Red Vintages
2003 – the year of the heatwave.  The wines are full-bodied and atypical, often lacking acidity and elegance.  Generally for early drinking.

2002 – Rescued by superb autumn weather, these wines have a firm spine of acidity, and will develop well over a long period.  Built to last, and the best vintage between 2005 and 1999.

2001 – Under-rated but developing attractively.

2000 – Inconsistent, with lighter wines in the Cote de Beaune, but some ripe powerful wines in the Cote de Nuits.

1999 – Fabulous.  The best vintage since 1999, and eclipsing the very fine 1996.

1998 – ripe, but problems with rot and dry tannins.

1997- ripe grapes with low acidity, mostly ready now.

And so for the tasting itself.  All the wines were sourced from the Wine Society.  The aim was to examine a variety of AOCs from basic Bourgogne to Premier Cru, plus an assortment of vintages.  Finally, I wanted to look at a selection of producers, from individual growers to major negociants.  All the wines were double-decanted between one to two hours before tasting.

1.         Bourgogne Rouge 2001  Ghislaine Berthod (£10.95)
From a top producer, this wine is produced across the road from Chambolle-Musigny.  It had vibrant juicy raspberry fruit, perhaps a little fierce, softening out to a gentle fruit finish.  I felt it would improve with possibly a year or two more bottle age, and perhaps some coq au vin!
(CHP 15 points)

2.         Cotes de Nuits Villages 2002 Nicolas Potel  (£13.50)
Potel is a top-class micro-negociant, primarily recognised for his reds from the Cote de Beaune.  This was juicy and firm, with red fruits underpinned with lemon tea, and earthy spicy characters, evolving to a gentle raspberry-and-chocolate  finish, to a good length.  Well worth the extra outlay, and has the potential to improve.  (CHP 16 points, Bin Ends 2 votes).

The reds from the Cote de Beaune tend to be more open, soft and silky, whereas those from the Cote de Nuits tend to be more profound and structured.

3.         Volnay Vieilles Vignes 2001 Nicolas Potel  (£16.50)
Our first “village” wine, tasting of crushed raspberries, lemon tea and spice.  It was soft, earthy and fleshy, evolving beautifully on the mid-palate, to silky black-chocolate and raspberry with a lovely soft finish.  (CHP 17 points, Bin Ends 1 vote).

4.         Santenay Premier Cru 1998 Vincent Girardin (£17.98)
Vincent Girardin is a leading negociant in the Cote de Beaune, based just outside Meursault, and specialises in whites.  His origins are from Santenay, and his red from this AOC is usually great value.

This Premier Cru was altogether more mature, with smooth gamey and earthy red fruits.  The mouthfeel was velvety and silky with the wine gaining increased complexity from bottle-age, leaving a long finish and just a hint of caramel.  Well received (CHP 17+ points,Bin Ends 10 votes).

5.         Marsannay Longeroies 2000 Denis Mortet (£18.00)
From the northern tip of the Cote de Nuits, just south of Dijon, made by a highly-respected grower, Denis Mortet.  Quite firm and, initially, there was a whiff of sulphur.  As the wine opened out, there were flavours of red berries underpinned with lemon tea, revealing a very fine structure and balance.  It was smooth, polished, elegant and stylish, and personally, the wine of the night.  I think this has a few more years to go before it reaches its peak.  (CHP 18 points, Bin Ends 11 votes).

6.         Vosne-Romanee 2003 Sylvain Cathiard (£30.00)
There are no bad village wines from Vosne-Romanee.  Again, from a well-respected grower, initially the flavours were of crushed red berries and raspberries, with subtle hints of wood-shavings. 

From an atypical vintage, it was big, round and spicy, and is probably at its best.  Full and rich, with hints of dried fruits, although perhaps a touch too alcoholic.  A good wine in a difficult year. 
(CHP 17 points, Bin Ends 8 votes).

7.         Beaune Premier Cru Guettes 1997 Louis Jadot (£20.00)
A superb example of a mature Premier Cru vineyard wine from a leading negociant.  There were fresh and juicy cherries, with earthy characters, developing into a sweet, soft and silky finish.  Elegant and spicy, and although acidity was high, there was plenty of flesh on the bones.  Delightful and delicious.  (CHP 17+ point, Bin Ends 12 votes).

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Before putting this tasting together, I felt there was no point  in skimping on the wine, and it was with some trepidation that I opened the bottles to find out whether the money had been well-spent.  When its reputation hit rock-bottom in the late 70s and early 80s, there was a standing joke that one decent bottle would cost £200, after rejecting the other 11 from a mixed case of 12.  Not so tonight.  All the wines showed well and none disappointed.

Coming Up next month and beyond ……
Tuesday, 24th April 2007: White Burgundy
The corollary to our Red Burgundy tasting, but with wines sourced from across the region.  There will be a chance to compare a simple Macon-Villages with a Chablis, right through to a Premier Cru Chassagne-Montrachet.  The wines are in place, and just ready to be tasted.
Entry fee again £15 per head.

Tuesday, 22nd May 2007 (one week earlier than usual because of Bank Holiday)
Wine with curry?  Indian cuisine has taken over as our national dish, but is it possible to match it with wine.  Surely lager is the obvious and only choice!
Working with the culinary expert, Anita Sharma-James, we will be sampling a selection of dishes with an assortment of wines.  Cost to be confirmed at next meeting.

Tuesday, 26th June 2007:  Champagne or Sparkling?
A blind tasting, pitting a popular Champagne brand against some top-quality sparklers from around the globe.  Is Champagne worth the hype or the money, and can you spot the difference?  Due to the high cost of the wines, entry will be £15 per head.

Friday, 20th July 2007:  Bin Ends Annual Barbecue
Usual venue (Margaret Hale’s back garden), and a great opportunity to let our hair down and wash down those burgers and sausages with some carefully-chosen wines.  All profits will offset the cost of the wines for the Annual Dinner.  Tickets on sale nearer the time.  £15.00 a head.

Tuesday, 21st August 2007 (one week earlier than usual):  Rare and curious whites.
Fed up with the ubiquitous Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Grigio?  Then this tasting is a
perfect opportunity for you to try something really different and unusual. 
£10 entry fee per head

Tuesday, 18th September 2007 (one week earlier than usual): Old World or New World?
In an age of flying winemakers, it’s said that the wines from the Old and New Worlds are becoming closer and more uniform. This blind tasting is an opportunity for you to test your own senses and preferences.  £10.00 per head

Tuesday, 30th October 2007
The Reds of South-West France.
An opportunity to explore a curious patchwork of appellations, with some familiar and not-so-familiar wine styles.  £10 entry per head

And a little further in advance … for your diary ….

Friday, 25th January 2007 – Bin Ends Annual Dinner
at Opus Restaurant in Birmingham. 
Tickets will be on sale later in the year

Please note my website link:
www.clives-wines.com